Getting Tough with Pot

The use of pot in U.S. schools is just about as ubiquitous as the marijuana weed itself. It pops up anywhere --often in surprising places. So many marijuana smokers were discovered at New Jersey's Hun preparatory school that last week Headmaster Paul R. Cheseboro summarily dismissed 14 student users.

There was no doubt about the guilt of the boys involved. The parents of one had reported to Cheseboro that the boys were pooling weekly allowances to buy pot. Confronted by their head master, all confessed, and all 14 were sent packing. Six other "peripheral" users were placed on probation.

"There may be a few we didn't catch," said Cheseboro, but if so, he added, "you can be sure their activity has been cut down." It was probably never very much to begin with. Boys at the Hun School are supposed to get only $5 a week allowance, which would only buy some ten cigarettes.

Although tearful parents paraded through his office pleading for leniency, Cheseboro was convinced that he had to be tough. "I have to believe that they all learned a valuable lesson," he said. It was a lesson that he did not think boys these days are learning at home. "Kids go by what we do," said Cheseboro. "They see their parents come home at 5 and take a few drinks, and they have read all those articles telling them that marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol." As a result, he concluded, when they go out to get their kicks, they are tempted to try pot.

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